There’s a lot of aspects about school that students have questions about. These can range from questions about exams, to how hard the next year of school will be, or even what subjects are good for different jobs. One common theme, however, is homework. Homework is an integral part of many students’ lives, but it’s not a particularly loved topic. Many students struggle with homework – this is something that is completely natural. A question that is asked often is how much homework students will receive when they move on to the next academic year. With that in mind, how much homework do students get in Year 7 to 11?
To put it briefly, the amount of homework each student gets will differ considerably from class to class, and subsequently school to school. However, the workload will typically increase from Year 7 to 11 – the workload will also get more intense to prepare pupils for exams. Students in Year 7 might spend an hour on average each night on homework, whereas later in Year 11 it might increase to two or three hours. Students will also complete pieces at different speeds – overall, there is no one way to answer this question.
While this may have helped give you a brief explanation of how much homework students get from Years 7 to 11, it might be helpful to read on for a more nuanced understanding.
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How much homework do students get in Years 7 to 11?
In short, the amount of homework given to students between Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4 will differ by both subject and school.
First, it’s worth clarifying that Key Stage 3 and 4 refer to Years 7-9, and Years 10-11 respectively. For a complete guide to Key Stages, check out this Think Student article.
There is no set amount for each year, but the general trend is that the amount will increase each year.
From Year 10 onwards, students will have chosen their subjects in Year 9 for GCSE, meaning that in terms of subjects the homework decreases slightly as there are less subjects. However, students receive more homework in terms of intensity and also difficulty, therefore the amount will increase overall.
One guideline for how much homework students receive is the 10 minutes per year of education rule. For example, a child in Year 1 would have 10 minutes of homework per night, whereas a student in Year 10 would have an hour and forty minutes of homework per night.
Another guideline is 20 minutes per subject rule. Students will roughly receive around 3 pieces of homework per night in Key Stage 3, which means it is approximately an hour of study. In the two GCSE years, however, this rule doubles to 40 minutes a subject – so, for 3 subjects a night, this figure is around 2 hours of homework per night.
How accurate are the guidelines for how much homework you get?
While these time guidelines can provide a rough approximation for the amount of homework students receive in these years, reality will often vary from these figures. Students complete homework at different rates, and the homework may not be assigned at the same rate, nor will it be the same intensity for each subject.
In my experience, the amount of homework each day fluctuated greatly – and the length of time assigned ranged vastly as well. For example, presentations as homework could take well over a few hours to complete, whereas some exercises were so short you could do them during form time.
In conclusion, the time and amount of homework that students get can vary drastically, and there is no one way to measure it! If you would like to read more about how much homework students get, check out this article from School Smith on the topic.
What’s the difference between homework from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4?
One of the key differences in the homework in KS4 is that it’s more specialised, but also that the general amount is larger. For example, a common homework that was assigned in Year 7 for me was various research projects, and even just creating title pages in books. However, in Year 11, it was more exercises and less general projects.
This is partly due to there being less subjects. When you choose your subjects in Year 9, there’s a decrease in subject variety. Less subjects means your teachers can afford to set more intensive homework as there is less homework for different subjects.
Additionally, in KS4 you’re being prepared for your GCSEs. Homework has to be more challenging and longer in order to mimic the difficulty of the exam. By putting in the hard work and stress into difficult homework, it’ll be easier to apply the knowledge in an exam, which is extremely useful in pressure-inducing conditions.
How hard is the transition from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4 homework?
However, the transition in homework and revision is not a sharp one – rather, it is a gradual process. It’s a common thought process of students but it is fortunately not the case! Rather, students simply build upon the same knowledge they had in KS3!
If you’re worried about the transition process to KS4, like many students are, check out this guide on starting GCSEs, from the Your Favourite Teacher blog! It has more information about the homework amount but also the two years in general.
In conclusion, there is a large difference between homework at KS3 and KS4, but the change is gradual and shouldn’t be extremely daunting for students. If you do feel worried or stressed about homework, you can always talk to your teacher or tutor or even Head of Year about it!
Is homework important?
Homework is generally beneficial and important to students as it allows them to cover the content they learned once more. Going over content again can help students consolidate their learning and deepen their understanding for the topic.
Additionally, homework can be helpful – especially in KS4 – to observe where a pupil’s weak points are. By the time there’s another lesson, students have the opportunity to ask their teacher for help! For example, the practice essays set for History GCSE allowed me to identify where I constantly went wrong in applying knowledge!
Homework can help students apply their creativity and think outside the box with a deadline. For example, with tasks like presentations and title pages, it allows students to present their research in a way that expresses creativity. This can often make key information easier to remember.
Homework can also help in teaching students the importance of having responsibilities and managing their time. This is an important life skill that is conveyed to students through continuously getting homework. It can involve things like planning out when to do homework and managing a schedule more effectively.
Homework can also be useful in developing a student’s research skills and deepening understanding in other relevant topics. Some homework requires students to do deeper reading, or answer questions that can only be answered through thorough research. In this way, students can also learn to apply knowledge to specific questions in exams!
Of course, a lot of homework can be very stressful for pupils – it is important for there to be a balance. If you are feeling stressed over the amount of homework, talk to an adult (your teacher, guardians, or your form tutor) who would be able to help with a resolution.
If you would like to read up more on the importance of homework, you can find more information on the benefits in this article from Think Student.
How can students motivate themselves to do homework?
Completing homework can be difficult and stressful for a lot of students. It’s not often a priority for many, leaving a lot of pupils familiar with the feeling of doing it last minute! With that in mind, how can students improve their focus for homework?
It’s very beneficial for students to have a comfortable space without distractions so they can concentrate on their work. This can be in a different room in the house, or even in a public space like a library or café. It is also recommended to keep your phone in a different room so it’s not on your mind!
There are different methods of study or work timings, such as the Pomodoro method. In this method, a student does 25 minutes of study then has a five minute break. This is called one Pomodoro. Then it is repeated three times, before taking a longer 15 to 30-minute break. You can learn more about the Pomodoro technique in this Think Student article.
Try not to multitask. It can often be very counterproductive to multitask as your mind cannot settle on a specific task. Rather, it is more helpful to dedicate your time in finishing something off bit by bit until you complete everything.
These methods of focusing can help students settle into a balanced workflow! For more information on different ways to improve focus, check out this article from Think Student!